Our Autumn Fire

Eighteen

    Elliot and Wesley walked down the brick paved aisle in the park towards the distinguished Grand Filamonte Social Hall and Banquet House. The historic site was home to some of the more posh events of the community, and the dark marble exterior presented itself with an ancient glory that somehow seemed perfectly modern as well.

    Around the entrance were rungs of flowers that had been meticulously arranged, and above the door hung a sign that read “Welcome to the Lato Wedding.”

    “Lato?” Elliot asked Wesley as they approached.

    “Oh, yeah. I guess you didn’t hear. They’re trying a whole new thing with their last names. Ali didn’t want to hyphenate hers and Andre was never going to become a ‘Lang,’” his roommate explained.

    “I get it. Soto plus Lang.” He wasn’t sure how he felt about the choice, but he had to admit the idea was pretty progressive. “Well it’s definitely better than Sang would have been.”

    Wesley sniggered with him, but they both quickly quieted when they entered the hall. The place was busy crawling with guests from both sides of the couples families dressed elegantly and politely introducing themselves to each other.

    “I don’t see the girls. Do you?” Wesley was craning his neck to get a glimpse of either Hayley or Cassidy, but they were nowhere to be found.

    “No…” Elliot muttered while pretending to try and find them as well.

    “Let’s check the chapel area. They might be sitting already.” Wesley led the way through the murmuring crowd while Elliot quietly followed, somewhat dreading how Cassidy might react.

    It had been half a week since their fight, and neither of them had ventured to call the other. Elliot had considered it a few times, but he wasn’t sure of what he would say - a disconcerting feeling that was completely new to him. But what worried him most was how his girlfriend had shattered every positive notion he had of their relationship. She made it seem as though everything he was enjoying out of their time together were the things that were upsetting her.

    “Hey, you listening?” Wesley had stopped and turned towards him.

    “What?” Elliot’s eyes focused on Wesley. “Sorry.”

    “Are you alright, man?” Wesley asked a bit concerned with his friend’s unusual inattentiveness.

    “Yeah, sorry. Just work stuff,” Elliot lied. “What were you saying?”

    Wesley wasn’t sure if Elliot was actually lost in thoughts of work, but he didn’t think too much about it. He knew Elliot had been having issues getting paid with his latest client, so that could easily have been the issue and he didn’t press further. “I was just thinking that the girls might be with Ali getting ready for the bridesmaids stuff.”

    Elliot had forgotten that they would be preoccupied trying to make Alicia’s special day perfect, so he relaxed a bit. “That’s probably where they are. Let’s just grab a seat,” he said pointing to a couple empty chairs in the fourth row, where they planted themselves.

    Andre was lined up at the stage looking both nervous and anxious for the day to be done. The priest met him there and prepared for the ceremony while the rest of the guests were ushered into their seats. Once the room had quieted, the piano began a mellow but upbeat tune as couples of bridesmaid and groomsman walked in one by one. The eyes of the guests turned to the back of the room to watch them all come, but Elliot kept his focus on the second bridesmaid to enter: Cassidy.

    She was dressed in an elegantly light turquoise dress that swayed with her as she walked beside Andre’s cousin. Elliot watched as she held an expression of relief at the end of the aisle when she had managed to make it without tripping. Splitting off, she took her place next to the spot that Alicia would soon be standing, and it wasn’t until then that she let her eyes scan the audience and find the two men she knew would be there.